Safety attachment device for skis



Feb. 1, 1966 w. WITSCHARD SAFETY ATTACHMENT DEVICE FOR SKIS Filed NOV.1, 1963 Mme/4mg WA; 7518 W/TSc/MAD United States Patent 3,232,631 SAFETYATTACHMENT DEVICE FOR SKIS Walter Witschard, Grand-Saconnex, Geneva,Switzerland, assignor to Pierre A. Habegger, Geneva, Switzerland FiledNov. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 320,897 Claims priority, application Switzerland,Nov. 6, 1962, 12,932/ 62 3 Claims. (Cl. 280-11.35)

The present invention has for its object a safety atta'chment device forskis, characterized in that it comprises two levers pivotly mounted on asupport along two spindles perpendicular to the surface of the ski andsituated on either side of the'longitudinal median plane of the ski, oneend of the said levers carrying a bearing surface against which isadapted to bear the front portion of the boot, a resilient lockingdevice holding the two levers poised in a definite position ofutilization and releasing these levers in the case of exaggeratedstresses of-ithe boot against the said bearing surfaces, exerted as wellin-a lateral and a longitudinal direction relative to the ski.

The accompanying drawing shows, diagrammatically and by way of example,two embodiments of this safety attachment device for skis according tothe invention.

- FIG. 1 is 'a' plan view showing the attachment device in the positionof utilization on a ski.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to the preceding one showing the device in theposition of release of the boot under the effect of an axial shock.

FIG. 3 is 'a view of a detail of this attachment device.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the attachment device in theposition of release of the boot under the effect of an exaggeratedstress, exerted transversely to the axis of the ski.

The safety attachment device for skis shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 comprises asupport 1 adapted to be fixed against the upper face of the ski 2 byscrews 3. This support 1 has vertical side walls 4, as well as a rearwall 5 and a substantially inverted V-shaped front wall 6. These walls 4to 6 give the support 1 the shape of a casing. The base plate 7 of thesupport 1 carries two vertical spindles 8 on each of which is hinged alever 9. Openings 10 are left between the vertical walls 4 and 5 for thepassage of these levers 9. These spindles 8 are therefore perpendicularto the main surface or bearing surface of the ski and situated on eitherside of the longitudinal median plane of the ski.

The rear ends 11 of the levers 12 against which is adapted to of theboot 14.

A resilient locking device is designed to hold the two levers 9 in adefinite initial position of utilization, and to release the levers 9 inthe case of an exaggerated stress of the boot 14 against the bootbearing surfaces 12. This locking device comprises alatching bar 15 inthe form of a rocking lever subjected to the action of a spring 16hearing, on the one hand, on the middle portion of the latching bar 15and, on the other hand, against the point 17 of a screw 18 screwed in atapped bore 19 on the support 1. The screwing or unscrewing 'of thisscrew 18 permits the adjustment of the force of the spring 16.

The ends 20 of the bar 15 cooperate with the respective ends 21 of thelevers 9 due to corresponding boss 22 and groove 23 engagement devices.In the example shown, the bosses are formed at the ends 21 of the levers9, while the groove 23 is provided at the corresponding end 20 of thelever 15. Obviously, the reverse arrangement would also be possible andthe boss 22, instead of having a semi-cylindrical shape could beconical, rounded or even semi-spherical and formed by a ball portion em-9 carry a bearing surface bear the front portion 13 ice bedded or weldedin the corresponding end 21 of the lever 9, -or in the end 20 of thelever 15.

Retaining means are provided on the support 1 to hold the lever 15 inplace, when the levers 9 are brought to released position (see FIG. '2).In the example shown, this retaining means is constituted by an abutmentin the form of a boss 24 integral with the base plate 7 of the support1, against which bears the rocking lever 15 through its central portion,in the release position of the lever 9.

The boot bearing surfaces 12 are provided by elements 25 hinged at therespective ends 11 of the levers 9 by screws 26 permitting their heightadjustment. In fact, as is shown in FIG. 3, a tapped bore 27 is providedvertically in the end 11 of each lever 9 and this screw 26 screws intothe said bore 27. The point 28 of the screw 26 is riveted in a hole 29of a flange 30 of the element 25. This element 25 has a second flange 31also provided with a hole 32 for the passage of the portion of the screwnear to its head. This flange 31 is prolonged rearwardly at 33 so as toconstitute a retaining surface abutting against the upper part of thesole 34 of the boot 14.

It will readily be understood that by screwing or unscrewing this screw26, there is produced an elevational movement of the element 25permitting to adapt the latter to the thickness of the sole 34 of theboot 14.

The operation of the safety attachment device for skis described aboveoccurs in the following manner:

The 'boot 14 is placed on the ski so that its front portion 13 bearsagainst the bearing surfaces 12 of the elements 25, as shown in FIG. 1.Securing means of any known type, for example a traction cable, a largestrap or a stop acting against the heel of the boot, ensures themaintaining of the latter in place against the bearing surfaces 12 ofthe elements 25 at the ends 11 of the levers 9.

Should exaggerated stress be exerted on the boot 14 in a transversedirection relative to the ski 2, the lever 9 situated on the sideopposite to that from which arises the stress pivots by moving therocking lever 15 away from its end 21 against the action of the spring16. This pivoting of the lever 9 releases the boot 14 which separatesitself from the ski. This release effect of the boot obviously occursthrough a transverse force, either from left to right or from right toleft, a force generally indicated by a torsional stress on the leg ofthe skier. However, this safety attachment device does not operatesolely in the case of exaggerated torsional stress, but also when aviolent axial shock is prod-need against the ski, for example whenencountering a rock, a root or a tree trunk. FIG. 2 actually shows whatoccurs in the event of such a shock: the front portion 13 of the boot 14then occasions the separation of the two abutment elements 25 one fromthe other, which produces an oscillating movement in the oppositedirection of the two levers 9 the ends 11 of which move away one fromthe other. The boot 14 is thus released as soon as the violent shockoccurs. It is to be noted that this release of the boot in the case ofan axial shock takes place independently of the mounting of a so-calledlongitudinal safety attachment device acting on the cables or attachmentbelts of the heel of the boot against the ski.

The second embodiment of the safety attachment device shown in FIG. 4 isa simplified embodiment in which the boot bearing surfaces 12 are formeddirectly on the front end 11 of each lever 9, instead of being providedon intermediate elements 25, as is the case in the first embodiment. Inthis modified form, no height adjustment of the bearing surfaces 12 ispossible relative to the levers 9, but, on the other hand, such a heightadjustment .may be effected by interposing. thickness plates between thesupport 1 or more accurately its base plate 7 and the upper face of theski 2.

The operation of this second embodiment of the safetying constitutingthe support 1 is closed at its upper end by-alid 35 which, in theexamples shown, is riveted through the upper end: of the spindles 8andthrough an extension 36 of the boss 24. Obviously, this lid 35 couldalso be removably secured to the support 1 by one or more screws.

It is clear from the preceding description that the described safetyattachment device for skis offers, relative to known devices of the samekind, the advantage of additional safety in the case of axial shocks.

I claim: 1. A safety attachment-for ski boots comprising, a support (1),spaced spindles (8) on the support perpendicular'to the surface of theski (2) and situated on either side of the longitudinal median plane ofthe ski,

boot controlled levers (99) spaced apart and medially pivoted on saidspindles (8), one end of the said levers having a boot engaging surfaceadapted to bear on the front portion of the b0ot'(12 or 25),

and an automatically releasable locking device normally holdingthe saidboot controlled levers (9-9) in an initial position of utilization andsubsequently releasing the same in the event of abnormal stresses of theboot against the said boot engaging surfaces, said locking devicecomprising a spring pressed latch bar (15) on the support (1) and havingend portions cooperating with related ends of the said levers oppositesaid boot bearing surfaces, said surfaces having complementalinterfitting boss and groove portions (22-23),

and abutment means (24-26) on the support adapted to be engaged by saidlatchbar when-the boot engaging portions of said levers are in bootreleasing position.

2. A safety device for skis according to claim 1 in which the lockingdevice also includes,

abutment means (24) on the support for restraining the bar' (15) whenthe levers (21') are in boot releasing position.

3. A safety attachment for skis operable automatically upon excessiveaccidental force imparted to the ski, comprising, r

a support (1) having side walls (4-4), a rear wall (5), and a front wall(6) an abutment (24) on the support disposed between the rear wall(5)and the front wall (6),

a latching bar (15) spring urged (16) away from the front wall towardsaid abutment (24),

spindles (8) on-the support adjacent the ends of the rear walli(5),

boot controlled levers (9) medially pivoted on: said spindles, saidlevers having boot engaging means ,at their rear endsand their frontends normally detachably interlocked with the-ends of the latching bar(15) to hold the same away from the said abutment (24),

whereby, when the rear ends of the levers are'spread apart in responseto excessive-emergency force supplied -by the boot,- the-said inner endsthereof :automatically disengage the said bar (15) and are urged towardeach other and permit the latching bar (15) to engage said abutment (24)untilthe boot'controlled levers (9) are reset.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,846,232 8/1958Schnell 280-4135 40 BENJAMIN HERSH,,Primary Examiner.

1/1959 Rehacek 280-1135

1. A SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR SKI BOOTS COMPRISING, A SUPPORT (1) SPACEDSPINDLES (8) ON THE SUPPORT PERPENDICULAR TO THE SURFACE OF THE SKI (2)AND SITUATED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE LONGITUDINAL MEDIAN PLANE OF THE SKI,BOOT CONTROLLED LEVERS (9-9) SPACED APART AND MEDALLY PIVOTED ON SAIDSPINDLES (8), ONE END OF THE SAID LEVERS HAVING A BOOT ENGAGING SURFACEADAPTED TO BEAR ON THE FRONT PORTION OF THE BOOT (12 OR 25) AND ANAUTOMATICALLY RELEASABLE LOCKING DEVICE (15) NORMALLY HOLDING THE SAIDBOOT CONTROLLED LEVERS (9-9) IN AN INITIAL POSITION OF UTILIZATION ANDSUBSEQUENTLY RELEASING THE SAME IN THE EVENT OF ABNORMAL STRESSES OF THEBOOT AGAINST THE SAID BOOT ENGAGING SURFACES, SAID LOCKING DEVICECOMPRISING A SPRING PRESSED LATCH BAR (15) ON THE SUPPORT (1) AND HAVINGEND PORTIONS COOPERATING WITH RELATED ENDS OF THE SAID LEVERS OPPOSITESAID BOOT BEARING SURFACES, SAID SURFACES HAVING COMPLEMENTALINTERFITTING BOSS AND GROOVE PORTIONS (22-23), AND ABUTMENT MEANS(24-26) ON THE SUPPORT ADAPTED TO BE ENGAGED BY SAID LATCH BAR WHEN THEBOOT ENGAGING PORTIONS OF SAID LEVERS ARE IN BOOT RELEASING POSITION.